Liquid dispensing apparatus



J. E. AHEAD ET AL LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Oct. 18, 1932.

Filed Oct. 6, 1950 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PArEN'l OFFICE.

JAMES E. vHEAD AND cnrAnrmsy r. LUKINS., OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA .LIQUID DISPENSING- APPARATUS .fj Application led October 6, 1930. Serial 17m-486,707.

Our invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of that character for vending lubricating oils or liquids; the principal object of our invention being to provide apparatus whereby lubricant may be selectively drawn at a compact point of discharge from any one of a plurality of shipping containers arranged conveniently within the station and in clear view of the customer.

Another object of the invention is to embody means in the apparatus for preventing congealing of the oil at the point of discharge during cold weather.

` A further object of our invention is to provide means for restricting the withdrawal of liquids from the containers to authorized attendants of the service station.

Y In accomplishing these and other objects 2" of our invention we have provided improved details of structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of A the service station equipped with apparatus embodying our invention, a part of the station being broken away to more clearly illustrate the arrangement of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the ".5 front wall of the station illustrating, particufrom each other and from the front wall of l the station, and supporting containers or drums 9.

The opening 3 is closed by a faucet board or panel 10 extending upwardly from the ioor 11 of the station and secured to the rear face 12 of the partition 5 by screws 13 or the .50 like.

Series of openings 14 are provided'in staggered rows in the panel for receiving faucets 15 connected to relative containers on the rack by conduits 16. y

y Containers or drums wherein lubricating 55 oils are commonly shipped are' provided with diametrically opposite ports 1n one end for 4filling and draining liquid from the containers. In ourapparatus one of these openings is utilized formounting a T-fitting 17, o the opposite opening being provided with an Velbow-fitting 18 so that a glass gauge 19 may be `secured in these fittings to indicate the amount Aof liquid in each container, the container being positioned in the rack with the 55 yT-fitting adjacentv the floor of the rack.

Threaded into the lower fitting 17 is a valve y.20 for controlling flow of liquid from the container, and a'union 21 adjacent the valve servesto connect the line 16 to the valve. lm

"lj Faucets of various types may be used for draining liquid Lfrom the conduits but in order to prevent congealing of the lubricant in cold weather at the point of discharge it iis desirable to provide a valve embodying 75 means for cutting od theJ flow of liquid before it reaches the panel and for this purpose a faucet such as is shown in Fig. 3, is particularly'adapted. v

rl`he faucet 15 comprises a cylindrical body 90 yportion 22 having a threaded inner ange'23 lat its inner end for Yreceiving a nipple 24 which may be connected to the conduit 16 by an elbow 25.

At its approximate center the valve body g5 Iis provided with an outwardly extending flange 26 andwith an adjacent up-set threadved portion-27 for receiving a binding nut 28 adapted ,to secure the valve body in the openp. l

ling 14 of the panel.

A valve stem129 carrying aval've 30 on its inner end for cooperating with a valve seat 31 in the nipple 24, is provided with a threaded portion 32 engaging a complementary threaded opening 33 formed in an inwardly '95 directed boss 34 of the valvebody. The outer end of the valve stem projects through an opening 35 in the 'curved forward end 36 of the valve housing and is providedwith a u head 37 to facilitate rotation of the stem. 100

In order to prevent waste of oil when lling measuring containers a drain board 38, serving also as a shelf for the measures is mounted in elevated position from the floor on a. front wall section 89 of the station and on plates secured to the panel l0.

Mounted in the chamber 4l provided below the drain board are troughs 42 and 43 positioned in oppositely inclined directions so that their inner ends meet at a common point and above a pan 44 slidably engaging an opening 45 in the front wall section, a handle 46 being provided on the pan to facilitate removal thereof for draining the collected oil from the pan.

The recess formed in the front wall by the opening 3 and closed rear wall 10 may be readily inclosed by a curtain 48 rotatably mounted in a. cabinet 49 comprising a lower wall 50 and a front wall 5l, each having an outwardly directed flange 52 suitably secured respectively to the faucet board 10 and to the partit-ion 5. The free end of the curtain is passed through an elongated slot 53 in the lower wall of the cabinet and is provided with hooks 54 which may be secured and Alocked to complementary staples 55 fastened on the drain board.

To further insure free flow of oil from the faucets during cold weather a steam or hot water lin-e 56, leading from a source of heat as indicated at 56, may be passed in the form of a coil around the inner, lower end of the conduits immediately behind the faucet board.

When employing an apparatus, constructed and assembled as described, each of the containers is lled with a lubricant,cespecially adapted and recommended for a specific make of automobile, and the containers are preferably stamped with the name of the car for which the lubricant is to be used. Corresponding designations are placed adjacent the faucets on the front face of the faucet board so that the motorist, in buying oil, will be assured of obtaining the proper lubricant for his vehicle.

Due to the remote position of the containers from the point of withdrawal it is possible to provide the faucets in compact relation to conserve space and to add to the convenience of the station attendants.

With the use of a faucet similar to the one shown in Fig. 3, together with a heating coil mounted behind the faucet board and adj acent the conduits, a free iiow of oil from the faucets is assured in cold weather.

Lubricant which may be spilled during the course of serving cars will drain into the removable pan provided below the faucets, thus avoiding loss and waste of lubricant.

By lowering and locking the curtain to the drain board when the station is not in operation, unauthorized access to the faucets is prevented.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a housing having a side wall, series of horizontal containers in the housing, sight glasses on the front endv tures.

JAMES E. HEAD. CHARLES F. LUKINS. 

